HAMILTON, N.Y. (01/23/08)—Lehigh University had four players in double digits and capitalized on its 22 steals to pick up a 67-37 victory over Colgate University in Patriot League women’s basketball action on Cotterell Court. Senior Shevorne Martin (Bronx, N.Y.) led the Raiders with 12 points.

 

Colgate could not stop the streaking Mountain Hawks, falling to 1-18 overall and 0-4 in Patriot League play. Lehigh pushed its win streak to six games and improved to 12-7 overall and a perfect 4-0 in conference action.

 

Freshman Sami Kozlowski (New Market, Md.) added nine points for the Raiders and seven other players got into the scoring column. Rookie Krista Moser (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) pulled down a team-high eight rebounds, while Martin, freshman Kendra Brim (Buffalo, N.Y.), and junior Katherine McGarry (Poland, Ohio) all had four boards.

 

The stifling Lehigh defense proved to be the story of the game. The Mountain Hawks, who are ranked 18th in the nation in scoring defense, scored 27 points off of turnovers for the game and held the Raiders to just 46 field goal attempts.

 

Both teams got off to a tough start, missing the first six shots combined and turning the ball over eight times. Colgate rookie Evan Librizzi (Essex Junction, Vt.) got on board first with a three-pointer at the 16-minute mark, but Lehigh responded 22 seconds later with a three of its own from Alex Ross.

 

Kozlowski hit another three to tie the contest at 6 with 13:14 left to play before Lehigh went on a 14-4 run to take a 20-10 lead halfway through the opening 20 minutes. The Mountain Hawks continued to pick up the defensive pressure and built their advantage to 38-21 at the break.

 

Lehigh shot a solid 46.9 percent from the floor and got 18 points in the paint. The Raiders hit 38.1 percent of its shots in the first half and was an outstanding 60 percent from long range.

 

The second half proved to be much of the same as the Mountain Hawks smothered the Raider offense.  Lehigh outscored Colgate 13-3 in the opening seven minutes to pull ahead 51-24 and cement the league victory.

 

Ross and Kaela Pearce both had 14 points for Lehigh. Erica Prosser dropped in 11 and Melissa Rich just missed a double-double with 10 points and a game-high nine rebounds. Ross also corralled six boards and shot 4-of-7 from long range.

 

Colgate shot 32.6 percent from the floor for the game and Lehigh hit 44.3 percent overall in the 40 minutes. The Mountain Hawks had a slight advantage on the glass, winning the battle 34-33.

 

The Raiders hit the road again for their next league game. Colgate travels to play Bucknell on Jan. 26 at 4 p.m., in Sojka Pavilion.